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What Are Goofballs?

Goofballs is the street name for drugs used to slow down the central nervous system and relax the body. Also known as tranquillizers, barbiturates and depressants, medical professionals use them in anesthesia before a surgical procedure and to treat insomnia and seizure disorders, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Veterinarians use them to euthanize animals. Overuse of goofballs and taking them illegally increases a user's chance of developing a drug dependency and produces negative neurological side effects.

  1. How They Affect the Body

    • Depressants, or goofballs, attack the central nervous system, decreasing the brain's ability to send messages to the body, according to the Transport Roads & Traffic Authority of New South Wales. As the body absorbs the drug, the heart rate and breathing slows down, as well as motor skills and coordination. The DEA says that barbiturates taken intravenously cause drowsiness within a minute, while oral consumption induce sleep between 15 to 40 minutes after use. The drugs affect the body for about 12 hours.

    Side Effects

    • Barbiturate intoxication occurs when individuals use them as recreational drugs or take them for a long time. MedlinePlus says side effects of overuse include memory loss, irritability, decreased alertness and problems with interpersonal communication. Goofballs target the body's cognitive skills and respiration, making it difficult for users to think and inducing shortness of breath and shallow breathing. Barbiturates impair motor skills and causes slurred speech and stumbling.

    Mixing with Alcohol

    • Alcohol, like goofballs, is a depressant that slows down the central nervous system, affecting motor skills, speech and mental alertness. Mixing alcohol with other depressants amplifies the effects of these substances. Drinking alcohol and taking barbiturates at the same time increases the chances of experiencing dizziness and memory lapses, slipping into a coma and dying, according to the Santa Clara University Wellness Center. A user's chances of dying from cardiac and respiratory arrest also increases if he mixes goofballs with other drugs. MedlinePlus states that barbiturates should not be mixed with heroin, Valium and benzodiazepines.

    Signs of an Addiction and Overdose

    • The longer a person takes barbiturates the higher the dosage needed to create feelings of euphoria and relaxation, according to the Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association. When a person stops taking them, he experiences withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, convulsions and death. The signs that a person has overdosed on goofballs includes inability to wake up from a deep sleep, relaxed gag and blinking reflexes and no response to pain. Friends and family should call 911 when a loved one's responses have slowed or stopped.

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